Policy and Planning

Europe and North America

The current global economic crisis originated in financial institutions in Europe and North America. Even though there are signs of recovery in these regions, there is still some considerable way to go before stable pre-crisis levels of growth resume.

The picture that emerges is complex with different countries taking different approaches to the crisis. While changes are unlikely to affect current participation rates at primary and secondary education levels, they may either reduce the level of support for infrastructure and education materials or transfer part of the financial burden to parents, many of whom will be unable to afford it. Tertiary education may be affected in some countries as the costs are shifted to the students or families through the use of fees.

There is concern that marginalized and disadvantaged groups will be more affected as teaching resources in particular decline. In the US, for example, the National Education Association reports that special education programs and facilities will be hardest hit by funding cuts.